Querencia

ND Tunes | Better Now by The Vespers

QUERENCIA | Spanish. A place from which one's strength is drawn, where one feels at home; the place where you are your most authentic self.

Dear Blue,

       I'm so excited, and do you know why? Two weeks ago I was offered a position in the Japanese bank that I've been temping at for almost two years. Yesterday, I received the first fruits of my labor that had me thanking God as I walked through Grand Central, Justin Timberlake's Take Back The Night blaring through my headphones.

    Whilst uploading this brand spankin' new layout, I caught a glimpse of my Google Profile. It hasn't been updated since I started at twenty four years old. Seeing your 'five years ago' self is always sentimental, a bit humorous with my bow headband and curved bob. I had just graduated college, and had my sights set on a small town in Wales, and taking the publishing world by storm with words that had been whirring through my mind like the wind in March where Winter's trying it's hardest to stay relevant. I tinkered with online presences back then, finding at times that I was open enough to be myself, and other times looking for a spoon-fed way to become famous off of my mental meanderings about God and dreams and books. 

Now I realize, I just wanted a home outside of my parent's house, a querencia, where I felt free to feel out of control on my crazy days, and confident on my best. Where I felt validated.

I'm my own cabinet of curiosities filled with new books, and an iPod full of music worlds apart. My heart still steeps in London, and I think of storytelling more than the one man who might walk in and change my life. I value love above all else, and seek after a romantic lifestyle filled with light flares and cinematic overtures. I sing, and I also keep my voice hidden a lot. I can be cheesy, and classic and old fashioned, and I've never been more confident about the quirky bits of myself than I am right now. And it is with all this in mind that I change the course of these letters in time for Spring.

I love books, and I'll continue to write love letters to my latest great read because I can't help it! But I'll include it with excerpts of short stories I've written, to get my confidence up enough to send work out into the world; Ecstatic moments to make you smile about life; Dabbles in Knitting and Cooking and whatever other splendid thing I try out. 

I love Jesus, and although I've gone through the growing pains that come with spiritual maturity, I want to talk to you about Him. The butterflies I feel in my stomach when I read Hosea 2, and realize that God isn't put off when I think I'm fine on my own--that only makes His chase fiercer; His love for you that much more powerful.

In his book, Show Your Work, Austin Kleon encourages us to document our lives, our loves, the things that inspire you to wake up every morning and make the best of what you've been given. I'd like to finish this journey I started when I was twenty-four, and I invite you to take the ride with me, Blue.

Hugs and love,

Britta

Happy Anniversary Novel Days!!!!

Wow. I just can't believe the anniversary of the day I decided to take on the coolest thing ever has crept up on me. Late Saturday night, I was planning posts when I glanced at the calendar and remembered. I have to say that it's been such a great year! I have come out of my shell in the book blogosphere so much!

Here are some ways that Novel Day's became the coolest part of my year:

• When I first started I posted my first author interview EVER with Rebecca Donovan (The Breathing Series), and I've watched her become an overnight success!
• I've discovered the beauty of the self published novel, and that there are many gems climbing to super stardom (e.g. Beautiful Disaster by Jaime McGuire). The fact that wonderful authors have contacted me to review their books has really blown my mind!
• I've gotten the chance to connect with some of my favorite authors (even if only via twitter) such as, Simone Elkeles, Lisa Schroeder, Nova Ren Suma, Matt de La Pena, etc.
• Had my FIRST giveaway for the wonderful Bridge of Scarlet Leaves by Kristina McMorris.
• I had the chance to experience my first BEA week via Armchair BEA, which was pretty awesome! I connected with so many awesome bloggers, and I felt like I was a part of a huge club of literature enthusiasts.
• I landed an internship at a wonderful Literary Agency, and had authors like Lauren Oliver check out my blog...which still has me fangirling! 
• I think I've become more novel obsessed than I was before, if that's even possible!

Ways I want to make year Two that much cooler:

• Interviews: I think I was so excited over my wonderful interview with Rebecca Donovan that it blinded me to the fact that I should get some more interviews going on Novel Days! I'm hard at work thinking of whom I'll connect with this year.
• Regular Posts: I would love to post at least two articles a week to keep you all excited about ND. 
• Blogger Buds: I would LOVE to connect with my fellow bloggers, and I find I have been a bit shy over the past year. Well, no longer!!!
• Attend BEA 2013 (God Willing): With this year being my first ever BEA experience by proxy, it all seemed so wonderful that I can't possibly miss it next year! It's an awesome chance to meet fellow bloggers, some of my favorite writers, and score some awesome goodies!
• Release my novel: If you've read my About page, you know that I've been penning my novel for the past 5 years (yeah, I know). Only in the last year have I gotten my courage to just go for it, and now I've almost 65,000 words. I'm almost there! I think I'll try querying it to agents to gauge a response, or I'll have it self pubbed and out to you all very soon! All I can reveal at this moment is that it is a New Adult novel!!!!

I really want to thank each and every one of you who take time out to include Novel Days in your blogs to read. It's been a fabulous year, and I've thoroughly enjoyed reading your comments and connecting with you. Do you have any new ideas or suggestions on how I could make Novel Days all the more awesome in this next year? I would love to hear them!

Love,

Britta.

Lauren Oliver's Awesome Valentine's Day Giveaway

I interrupt your regularly scheduled blogging meandering to alert you to an awesome giveaway hosted by the FABULOUS LAUREN OLIVER! As a Valentine's day treat, Lauren's giving away a copy of Delirium, gorgeous high end chocolates from Vosges, and a late Valentine's day treat at the end of the month: Pandemonium!!!!!

You know you want to! Get on over to her blog and enter!


Have a great day!